UC Blog
Rebranding UC's Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program
In order to lift stigma and to capture the essence of healthy eating, the Food Stamp program was renamed "CalFresh" in California last fall. Now UC, which operates a Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) in 35 California counties, is considering how its program should be renamed to match the new brand, according to a Fast Company expert blogger.Writer Lauren Sutton served on a panel at a CalFresh forum last month with UC FSNEP director David Ginsburg. Sutten wrote that a lot of effort went into making sure that the new program name appealed to the target audience (people who use Food Stamp benefits) and that the name was in line with other California state programs like CalPERS, CalTrain and CalJOBS.
At the forum, Ginsburg shared the results of a survey conducted to gauge acceptance of possible new names for FSNEP. The top 10 contenders are:
- UC-CalFresh Nutrition Education
- UC-Nutrition Education Program
- UC-CalFresh
- UC-CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (Logo option 1)
- CalFresh Nutrition Education Program
- UC-CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (Logo option 2)
- UC-SNAP Ed.
- UC-FIT (Food and Interactive Teachings for a Healthy Life)
- UCCE Nutrition
- UC-FUN (Families Understanding Nutrition)
Another option, Ginsburg said, is using "UC CalFresh" with the tag line "Growing Healthy Families."
"That would allow us to link to California’s CalFresh and also can build off of California’s agriculture," Ginsburg said.
Extension's relevancy in changing times
The Birmingham, Ala.,-based magazine The Progressive Farmer ran a cover story in its March issue that explored the relevancy of the United State's Extension program nearly 100 years since its inception. The article is available on the magazine's website to subscribers only; a two-week trial subscription is free.
The article noted that Extension was formed in 1914 to channel the scientific knowledge of U.S. land-grant universities to American farmers. But since then, American agriculture has undergone dramatic change.
"In 1914, about 31% of Americans were farmers. Today, 2% of the population provides food for the rest of us," the article said. "That 2% is savvy. Many have college educations; they are smart businessmen and have a keen sense of how to produce a good crop or raise healthy livestock. If they have questions, they can afford to pay for advice and not depend on Extension."
Private certified crop advisors now soak up information from Extension and pass it on to their clients. As a result, farmers benefit from Extension information and research, but Extension doesn't get the credit, which hurts funding prospects.
Because of dwindling public funding, commodity groups and private industry have become major sources Extension research funding.
"That keeps programs afloat, but it also raises questions about objectivity," the story said.
The Progressive Farmer article suggested Extension must do a better job of branding its services and communicating with the community. Since most funding for regular programs comes from federal, state and local governments, it is "incumbent on Extension to cultivate relationships with as many legislators as possible."
The article outlined the 2009 reorganization of Iowa State University Extension led by Jack Payne. Iowa State consolidated operations, paring 97 county director positions down to 20 regional directors, some with responsibility for as many as nine counties. Extension specialists also took on larger geographical areas.
Payne told Progressive Farmer the restructuring was the toughest thing he has ever done in his life. He said he believes in the relevance of Extension, but budget pressure and evolution of the agricultural industry forced the change.
"I hope that as we go through this time of austerity people will understand the value of higher education and figure how to pay for it," said Payne, who is now a senior vice president of the University of Florida. "I believe that the country will come to its senses."
Progressive Farmer magazine, March 2011 issue.
New food alliance to 'tell the real story' of food production
A consortium of 52 food-related organizations yesterday announced the formation of the "Alliance to Feed the Future," according to a news release posted on the alliance's new website.Two of the organizations involved are connected with UC Davis - the California Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.
The news release said misperceptions about modern food production and technology have become increasingly common. The alliance was formed to better articulate how food is produced.
"In an effort to meet the world’s increasing food needs responsibly, efficiently and affordably, the members of the Alliance to Feed the Future share the common goal of building understanding and promoting the benefits of modern food production, processing and technology," the article said.
Strategic initiative conferences dates set
The Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative Conference is scheduled for May 17 - 19 at ARC at UC Davis. More information about the HFC conference will be posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/HFC as it becomes available. The final version of the HFC strategic plan is posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/HFC/files/57631.pdf.
The Sustainable Natural Ecosystems Strategic Initiative Conference is scheduled for Sept. 20 - 22. The location and other details about the SNE conference will be posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/SNE as they become available.
The Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative Conference is scheduled for Oct. 18 – 20 at the ARC at UC Davis. More information about the SFS conference will be posted at http://ucanr.org/sites/SFS as it becomes available.
As previously announced in ANR Update, workgroups will be aligning under the appropriate Program Teams. The first opportunity for Program Team meetings will be in conjunction with the Strategic Initiative conferences.
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.
UCCE expert featured in public TV video series
The public television affiliate in Los Angeles County, KCET, has posted a series of videos in its Departures series featuring UC Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor Sabrina Drill.
Departures is part of the KCET's Youth Voices digital literacy program, which engages high school students through workshops to become multimedia producers.
In this latest series of five videos, Drill and Camm Swift, a fishery biologist with the Natural History Museum, are filmed on the bank of the Los Angeles River chatting about the significant impact urban development, channeling, damns and introduction of non-native aquatic species has had on the ecosystem.
No native species still swim in the LA River and many riparian habitats - such as mudflats and wetlands - no longer exist.
"There's actually a big effort right now to do some large scale restoration of the LA River. The City of Los Angeles is heading that up," Drill said on the second video. "It's a long, long process, but they're in the feasibility study phase right now."
The student who produced the series, Mike Cadena, said in a commentary about the video series that joining the biologists on the riverbank was an amazing experience.
"What I was most amazed about was the river's potential for recreation. One of the biologists said that a long time ago there'd been plans to build all sorts of rec. centers and parks all along the river and this really got me thinking about what that would mean to all of Los Angeles," Cadena wrote.
KCET online series "Departures."